Geranium plant named ‘Sweberry’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Zonal  Geranium  plant named ‘Sweberry’, characterized by its upright and rounded plant habit; freely branching habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; freely flowering habit; semi-double red purple-colored flowers with a red-colored blotch; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Pelargonium×hortorum.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Sweberry’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of ZonalGeranium, botanically known as Pelargonium×hortorum, and hereinafterreferred to by the name ‘Sweberry’.

The new Zonal Geranium is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Dresden, Germany. The objective of thebreeding program is to create new Zonal Geranium cultivars with earlyflowering habit and attractive foliage and flower coloration.

The new Zonal Geranium originated from a cross-pollination made by theInventor in Dresden, Germany during the summer of 2001 of two unnamedproprietary selections of Pelargonium×hortorum, not patented. Thecultivar Sweberry was discovered and selected by the Inventor as aflowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollinationin a controlled environment in Dresden, Germany in June, 2002.

Asexual reproduction of the new Zonal Geranium by vegetative terminalcuttings in a controlled environment in Dresden, Germany since January,2003, has shown that the unique features of this new Zonal Geranium arestable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar Sweberry has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature andlight intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Sweberry’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Sweberry’ as a new and distinct cultivar ofZonal Geranium:

-   -   1. Upright and rounded plant habit.    -   2. Freely branching habit.    -   3. Moderately vigorous growth habit.    -   4. Freely flowering habit.    -   5. Semi-double red purple-colored flowers with a red-colored        blotch.    -   6. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Zonal Geranium differ primarily from plants of theparent selections in plant vigor and flower color.

Plants of the new Zonal Geranium can be compared to plants of thePelargonium×hortorum cultivar Swevio, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No.17,386. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Dresden, Germany,plants of the new Zonal Geranium differed from plants of the cultivarSwevio in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Zonal Geranium were less compact and more        vigorous than plants of the cultivar Swevio.    -   2. Leaves of plants of the new Zonal Geranium had a zonation        pattern whereas leaves of plants of the cultivar Swevio did not        have a zonation pattern.    -   3. Plants of the new Zonal Geranium had larger flower umbels        with more flowers per umbel than plants of the cultivar Swevio.    -   4. Plants of the new Zonal Geranium had larger flowers than        plants of the cultivar Swevio.    -   5. Plants of the new Zonal Geranium and the cultivar Swevio        differed slightly in flower color.    -   6. Plants of the new Zonal Geranium had longer peduncles and        pedicels than plants of the cultivar Swevio.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearanceof the new Zonal Geranium, showing the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values citedin the detailed botanical description which accurately describe thecolors of the new Zonal Geranium. The photograph comprises a sideperspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Sweberry’ grown in acontainer.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown in Dresden, Germany in a glass-coveredgreenhouse during the summer and under conditions which closelyapproximate commercial Geranium production. During the production of theplants, day temperatures averaged 18° C., night temperatures averaged16° C. and light levels ranged from 15 kilolux to 100 kilolux. Plantswere about nine months old when the photograph and the description weretaken. In the detailed description, color references are made to TheRoyal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except wheregeneral terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Pelargonium×hortorum cultivar Sweberry.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed proprietary selection of            Pelargonium×hortorum, not patented.        -   Male or pollen parent.—Unnamed proprietary selection of            Pelargonium×hortorum, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By vegetative terminal cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 18 days at            temperatures of 22° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 22 days at            temperatures of 22° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 25 days            at temperatures of 22° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 30 days            at temperatures of 22° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant/growth habit.—Upright to rounded plant habit; densely            foliated. Moderately vigorous growth habit. Freely basal            branching habit with about twenty lateral branches            developing per plant.        -   Plant height, to top of umbels.—About 40 cm.        -   Plant height, to top of leaves.—About 30 cm.        -   Plant width.—About 50 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 15 cm. Diameter: About 8 mm.            Internode length: About 1 cm to 2 cm. Texture: Pubescent.            Color: 146B.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate and opposite; simple.        -   Length.—About 6 cm.        -   Width.—About 10 cm.        -   Shape.—Reniform.        -   Apex.—Rounded.        -   Base.—Cordate.        -   Margin.—Bi-crenate.        -   Venation pattern.—Palmate.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent.        -   Color.—Developing foliage, upper surface: 146A. Developing            foliage, lower surface: 146B. Fully expanded foliage, upper            surface: 137A; venation, 146A. Fully expanded foliage, lower            surface: 137C; venation, 146D. Zonation pattern: Location of            zone: About 1 cm from leaf margin. Width: About 3 cm. Color:            147A. Petiole: Length: About 8 cm to 11 cm. Diameter: About            3 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Rough. Color, upper            and lower surfaces: 146B.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower arrangement.—Semi-double rotate flowers arranged in            rounded hemispherical umbels arising from apical leaf axils.            Umbels displayed above the foliage on strong peduncles.            Flowers face upright to outward; flowers slightly cupped.            Flowers persistent. Flowers not fragrant.        -   Quantity of flowers.—Freely flowering habit; about 22 to 26            flower buds and open flowers per umbel.        -   Flowering season.—Year-round under greenhouse conditions. In            the garden in Dresden, Germany, flowering is continuous from            April until frost in autumn.        -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about six to ten            days on the plant; umbels last about three to four weeks on            the plant.        -   Umbel height.—About 6 cm.        -   Umbel diameter.—About 11 cm.        -   Flower diameter.—About 5 cm.        -   Flower depth (height).—About 2 cm.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 6 mm.            Shape: Elliptic. Color: 146C.        -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: About seven to nine. Length:            About 2.4 cm. Width: About 2.7 cm. Shape: Fan-shaped. Apex:            Rounded. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and            lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; velvety. Color: When            opening and fully opened, upper surface: Between 66A and            74A; blotch, 53A; towards the base, 56D; venation, similar            to petal color. When opening and fully opened, lower            surface: 66C; towards the base, 56D; venation, 66C.        -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Five, arranged in a single            whorl. Length: About 1 cm to 1.2 cm. Width: About 3 mm to            4 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth. Color, upper and            lower surfaces: 144A.        -   Peduncle (umbel stem).—Length: About 17 cm to 23 cm.            Diameter: About 5 mm. Strength: Strong. Angle: Mostly erect.            Texture: Pubescent. Color: 146C.        -   Pedicel (individual flower stem).—Length: About 3 cm.            Diameter: About 2 mm. Strength: Moderately strong; flexible.            Texture: Slightly pubescent. Color: 146C.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen quantity per flower:            About five to nine. Anther length: About 1 mm to 2 mm.            Anther shape: Oblong. Anther color: Brown. Pollen amount:            Scarce. Pollen color: Golden brown. Gynoecium: Pistil            quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About 8 mm to            10 mm. Stigma shape: Five-parted. Stigma color: Close to            74A. Style length: About 3 mm to 4 mm. Style color: Close to            74A. Ovary color: Close to 138D.        -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit development have not been            observed.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Zonal Geranium have not    been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Zonal    Geraniums.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Zonal Geranium have been    observed to tolerate rain, wind and temperatures ranging from about    0° C. to about 35° C. and have demonstrated good garden performance.

1. A new and distinct cultivar Zonal Geranium plant named ‘Sweberry’ asillustrated and described.